Despite advancements in screen technology, screen burn-in (including image persistence) can be a problem on display screens. In one example, after a stationary (or semi-stationary) image is displayed on a display screen and a partial or full screen re-draw occurs, the previous image may persist on the display screen. The cause of screen burn-in may vary depending on the type of display screen. For instance, liquid crystals have a natural relaxed state. When a voltage is applied, the liquid crystals may be re-arranged to block certain light waves. If the same voltage is applied for an extended period of time, the liquid crystals tend to stay in that position. Image persistence may visibly occur when the pixels are used in inconsistence amounts (e.g. a top left pixel is less likely to be changing as the pixel in the middle of the screen). In some cases, television and display monitor manufacturers carefully limit their liability for these problems in their warranties.
In some conventional approaches, screen savers are recommended to avoid potential screen burn-in. However, screen savers are typically activated after an extended idle time and may not be appropriate in certain types of environments such as kiosks, display signs or panels, billboards, etc. Also, screen savers may distract from viewing information that would otherwise be displayed on the display screen. In other conventional approaches to screen-burn-in, software is provided that performs a white wipe (e.g., a specialized screen saver) that changes pixels on the display screen to completely white.